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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24061387">why don't we collide the spaces that divide us?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/incalyscent/pseuds/incalyscent'>incalyscent</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Clothed Sex, Coming In Pants, Dry Humping, Enthusiastic Consent, Getting Together, Hand Jobs, Holding Hands, Kissing, Love Confessions, Lowercase, M/M, Minor Rey/Rose Tico, Mutual Pining, basically finn and poe are really gay and horny and all their friends and long suffering lesbians, because I said so, i love putting all the pure tags and then just, local ace does porn, local poet does prose, minor zorri/jessika pava, no beta we die like men, sabe don't look, this started out as a mildly horny dedication to poe's tros outfit and just. degenerated, this wasn't supposed to be like this i swear</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:49:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24061387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/incalyscent/pseuds/incalyscent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“well, at least he’s not <i>intentionally</i> torturing you, with his tight pants and his <i>collarbones</i>.”</p>
<p>“the <i>thigh holster</i>.”</p>
<p>“the thigh holster,” rey says, nodding her head sagely.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Poe Dameron/Finn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>227</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>why don't we collide the spaces that divide us?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Royal_Gourd/gifts">The_Royal_Gourd</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>superstition aims with imprecision<br/>but when things can't be explained - superposition<br/>in any universe you are my dark star</p>
<p>i want you to want me<br/>why don't we rely on chemistry<br/><b>why don't we collide the spaces that divide us</b><br/>i want you to want me<br/>i want you to want me</p>
<p>-young the giant, <i>superposition</i>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“finn, you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>staring</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“huh?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey sticks her staff behind finn’s leg and knocks it out from underneath him.  he glares at her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“were you looking at his butt?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“what?  no!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>she knocks the other leg, making him scuffle in the dirt.  “stop that!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i dunno if you’ve forgotten but we’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>sparring</span>
  </em>
  <span>, padawan.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn has to rip his eyes away from poe’s retreating form again.  he shifts his hands on his staff, just to remember it’s there.  “right.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>it’s two strikes in before she sweeps his legs and he ends up on his ass in the dirt.  she puts the end of her staff on the center of his chest and just leers down at him.  he knocks it away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>distracted</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she says, her voice syrupy but sly as a snake.  finn huffs, resigns to laying on the ground and presses the heels of his hands to his eyes.  he says </span>
  <em>
    <span>it’s the outfit</span>
  </em>
  <span> into the sleeve of his jacket, so rey pokes him again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“what was that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“it’s the outfit!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey blinks, seemingly stunned, before her face splits into a grin and she throws herself onto the ground next to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“he looks good, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“he looks </span>
  <em>
    <span>so good</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey snorts on a laugh, slings an arm out so she smacks the back of it against his chest.  “you told him you’re hot for him yet?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“no.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“well, at least he’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>intentionally</span>
  </em>
  <span> torturing you, with his tight pants and his </span>
  <em>
    <span>collarbones</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“the </span>
  <em>
    <span>thigh holster</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“the thigh holster,” rey says, nodding her head sagely.  finn huffs a groan, finally letting his legs slide out to lay flat on the ground.  rey gives him a pat, awkwardly, given their position, and then decides to let him wallow in peace.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>there’s a scuffle in the dirt and someone plops down on the other side of finn with a rush of breath.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“hey guys,” poe says, “why are we lying on the ground?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i knocked finn over so he’s wallowing and i lay down too so no one would make fun of him.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“aw, you’re such a good friend.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“also he has a big fat crush and they’ve recently changed up their wardrobe and it’s driving him a bit mad.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“rey!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe chokes on a laugh, crossing an arm over his stomach and putting the other behind his head.  “i’m sorry buddy, that sounds tough.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“it is,” finn mutters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you should tell them how you feel,” poe says, “the worst that can happen is that nothing comes of it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“and who could turn down such a </span>
  <em>
    <span>man</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” rey says.  finn punches her arm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“exactly,” poe says.  there’s a quality in poe’s voice that finn doesn’t quite recognize.  he listens to the crunch of boots before he rolls his eyes upwards.  rose is there with grease on her hands and the dopiest smile on her face.  he tracks it to rey, who is doing her best to mirror it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“get a room, you two,” he says, and rose clears her throat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“uh, general?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yes?”  poe and finn answer in unison.  it makes rose snicker.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“incoming transmission from the gold system.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey scrambles to her feet.  “jannah?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rose hums her affirmative.  poe hauls himself to his feet, brushes his hands off on his pants before offering one to finn.  he takes it, and lets poe help him to his feet, even though he doesn’t need it.  even if it’s only to hold his hand.  once he’s up, poe gives him a pat on the shoulder, and finn can’t help it if his eyes travel the length of that gold chain until it disappears into his shirt.  when he catches himself he can’t help but notice the particular glint in poe’s eyes before he turns around.  when he follows him into the command center he doesn’t look down, not even once.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>all through the comm meeting, and the subsequent tactical meeting afterwards, finn is definitely distracted.  poe spends most of the time with his hands leaned on the table, sleeves rolled up, his teeth worrying his lower lip, one hip cocked.  there’s a curl of hair that’s come loose and sprung up against his forehead, looking like it had been placed there, and finn has not been able to stop thinking about it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>this is ridiculous.  finn is a highly trained soldier turned resistance general.  he should be able to </span>
  <em>
    <span>focus</span>
  </em>
  <span>, even if his co-general is across from him looking like a three course meal.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey’s staff smacks against his shin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“sorry, what?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i said,” poe says, and when finn’s gaze snaps up his eyes are sparkling, amused, “i think we should send jannah some backup.  you agree?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah.  yep.  sounds good.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>he hears rey suppress a laugh next to him and distinctly doesn’t turn to look at her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“alright.  everyone’s dismissed,” poe says.  if finn didn’t know any better, he’d say he sounded smug.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i think he’s doing it on purpose.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey and finn are laying on their backs on a single bunk, hands intertwined.  rey snickers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you, my darling finn, are not exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>subtle</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn scrubs a hand over his face.  “i’m starting to figure that out.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you practically drool over him.  it’s embarrassing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>thank you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, rey.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey puts on the most put upon sigh she can muster.  “please just tell him you want to jump his bones.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn kicks her, just a little bit.  “it’s - it’s complicated.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“what </span>
  <em>
    <span>now?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn sighs.  “if something goes south, it’ll mess up the whole resistance, with the whole co-generals thing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“trust me, only one thing’ll be going south if you let him know how you feel.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“rey!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>the door chooses that moment to hiss open, leaving poe standing in its wake with one of his eyebrows quirked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i feel like this is a bad time,” he says, the undercurrent of a laugh in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“finn just wants to get laid,” rey says, her tone bored, only to shriek with laughter when finn swiftly yanks the pillow out from under her head and stuffs it over her face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“ah,” poe says, “i’ll leave you two to it then.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“ew!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“gross!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe snickers, stepping into the room and smacking the control to the door so it slides shut.  “i’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>kidding</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  we all know rey is gay enough for all of us.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“that’s rich, coming from you,” she says, after unearthing herself from the pillow.  poe tosses his coat onto a nearby desk chair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“touché.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn notices the gentle flush of red that dusts poe’s cheekbones, paints the visible skin on his chest rosy.  his eyes are bright, and he wobbles a little as he pulls his boots off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“is poe drunk?”  finn says, turning to rey, who sits up to get a better look.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“poe is a little drunk,” poe says helpfully, “poe’s friends are a bad influence, but poe has the day off tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“what did you do, sniff some moonshine?” rey says with a grin.  poe throws a sock at her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“fuck you,” he says, with absolutely no venom, “i’m your problem now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>as if to emphasize, he throws himself onto the cot between them, wriggling until rey is squashed up against the wall and finn has to grab his waist to avoid falling off the bed.  he’s warm to the touch, a little sweaty, and the bare skin of his collarbone presses against finn’s naked shoulder, and it’s everything in him not to think too hard about it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i hate you sometimes,” rey says, slapping poe’s hip.  he makes a non-committal hum, curling one leg around one of finn’s and tucking his face into the crook of his neck.  rey peeks over poe’s shoulder to make eye contact with finn, and waggles her eyebrows.  finn rolls his eyes and tries to keep the heat off his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you guys need to stop communicating via mind link or whatever ‘cause i’m sleeping now,” poe says, directly into finn’s shirt, and they all spare a chuckle.  it doesn’t take much longer for poe to be softly snoring between them.  finn worms an arm under his shoulders, so he can hold rey’s hand on the other side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey wakes finn up for training right as the sun rises.  he has to carefully extract himself from poe’s hold, even as he grumbles and tries to hold him closer in his sleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>they take their regular trek into the jungle.  rey is light on her feet, barely disturbing the decaying leaves on the ground.  they round a crest, and settle on the damp stone of the outcrop.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>it had always been easy for finn, to tap into the force, to feel what it feels.  finn has always been good at connecting with people, and he can’t help but think he knows why now.  but every time they end up here, eyes closed and throats bared to the will of the universe, finn connects with all the living things first.  the creeping glow of the moss on the trees; every leaf opening up to the dawning sun; the first stirr of a lemur, someways up in the canopy.  but as always, finn finds himself drawn to the people.  they are weary, tired.  some of them are in mourning, the tight circle of grief around their throats.  but there’s also hope, happiness, relief, </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  people fell into the relationships they’d staved off for so long after the war ended.  there was a certain calm that was watching pairs of people lean against one another around the campfire.  a certain calm that usually comes with a pang of </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>in the first order, stormtroopers can’t have relationships.  the higher-ups, they’re not </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they know they can’t keep a bunch of teenagers together and expect them to keep their hands to themselves.  that wasn’t the problem.  love was the problem.  they couldn’t have their troopers </span>
  <em>
    <span>dying</span>
  </em>
  <span> for one another.  if they were caught, they were seperated.  reconditioned.  and to finn, it just wasn’t worth it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>and now, at the budding curve of peace, as the sun rises and burns off the dew around him, all finn can feel for one, fleeting moment, is love.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn never enters anyone’s mind; he’s never been able to pull off a mind trick, just because it just feels </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad </span>
  </em>
  <span>to do so.  he’s especially careful around poe, because of what happened to him on the finalizer.  he doesn’t need to scare him.  but he can still </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> him, burning bright with light, his nose turned into the pillow, awake and smiling, breathing in finn’s scent.  and that’s the kind of love, blazing and whole, and finn dreamed about as a kid.  enough that he comes crashing out of his trance, breath cold and aching in his lungs, and sun too bright on his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“find what you were looking for, padawan?”  rey’s eyes aren’t open, but she’s smiling.  finn feels warm in a way that spirals out from his chest, hurts his cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah, i think i did.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>later, rey sneaks away with rose, not without sparing finn a knowing smile over her shoulder.  she laces her fingers with rose’s, and rose leans into her, and they look like the same creature walking away from him; gait even and matched, stuck together anywhere they could possibly touch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe is back in their quarters.  he’d clearly left during the day; he’s wearing something considerably less </span>
  <em>
    <span>obscene</span>
  </em>
  <span>, only the usual amount of throat showing, and he’s got a streak of grease above his eyebrow that he clearly doesn’t know about.  he smells like a fighter ship, a little bit like cigarette smoke, and the skin-warm scent of poe.  and when finn comes in his eyes come up off the holopad he’s reading and he smiles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“hey bud,” he says, setting the holopad down and stretching his legs out across the length of the bed, “how was being a real adult today.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“boring,” finn says, feeling the nerves getting riled up in his gut, “well, except for one thing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe scoots himself up the bed, making room, crossing his legs, his eyes bright with interest.  “oh yeah?  what was it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn’s steps are careful but he sits anyways, gently takes poe’s hand from where it was sitting on his knee and cradles it in his own.  by this point poe looks a little concerned, the weight of it folding between his brows.  finn licks his lips, and pretends he doesn’t notice poe’s eyes dart to follow the movement, though it’s encouraging.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i had an epiphany.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe chuckles.  “buddy, you’re killing me here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“poe dameron, are you in love with me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe stops breathing, finn is pretty sure.  his eyes go big, and he gathers a tension that’s so unlike him across his shoulders.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yes.”  it’s barely a word, mostly air, but still wholly earnest, brimming with emotion.  it actually startles finn a little bit, being on the receiving end of it.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn squeezes his hand.  “okay.  good.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>good?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah,” finn says, “‘cause i think i’m in love with you, too.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“oh.”  poe’s voice is small.  finn finally manages to look into those eyes, and all he finds is naked adoration, blustering hope, happiness that seems to come from somewhere else.  poe is biting his lip around a smile, and finn can’t fight his own off his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah,” he says intelligently, his own voice blown out, and poe lets out a laugh that sounds like he’s letting something go.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“what’re you gonna do about it then?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i think i’d actually like to kiss you, if that’s alright.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe’s breath catches.  his eyes dart to finn’s mouth, then back up, and finn is fascinated watching them melt from bright and giddy and soft and warm and </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanting</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah, i, uh, definitely think we should do that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>it’s not perfect; they’re both grinning into it, giddy off it, but after a moment poe grabs the front of finn’s shirt and tips his head to bring their lips into better contact.  and finn feels lightheaded because it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and then one of his hands is in poe’s hair and the other is on his thigh, and suddenly poe’s tongue is insistent in his mouth.  it’s nice, it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> nice, but poe pulls away and only manages to look a little bit smug about the whine that falls out of finn’s throat.  instead, he gently brings their foreheads together, and that’s nice too; sharing breath, and being able to tell that poe’s a little flushed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“how long could we have been doing that?”  finn asks, almost incredulous.  poe laughs, just softly, his hands coming up to bracket finn’s cheeks, to stroke his thumbs under his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you tell me, buddy,” and oh, his voice is low and a little rough, “i was about ready to kiss you as soon as you took your helmet off.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn snorts, leans back.  “you did not.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i did too!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn snickers and leans into poe again, tucking his face into his shoulder, and poe’s hands migrate, one to the base of his skull and the other to gently trace the scar lining his back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you’re more hopeless than i thought, then.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>hey</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” poe says, but it doesn’t have much venom, because finn has started nosing at his neck, placing tender kisses against the thin skin.  poe makes a noise low in his throat and finn vows to hear again and again, just from finn’s mouth exploring that skin.  eventually, poe’s fingers curl against the back of his neck.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>finn</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he breathes, and it seems as though right under the point of his jaw is a good spot, so finn pays it some extra attention, until poe groans and squirms and drags him up for another kiss.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you’re going to be the </span>
  <em>
    <span>death</span>
  </em>
  <span> of me,” he says, right against finn’s lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>rey absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>ribs</span>
  </em>
  <span> them when they come out for dinner, mostly because poe looks a little dazed, and he’s got a gently reddening mark on his neck, and the both of them can’t stop making eyes at one another from across the table.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you guys have a good talk?”  she says, one of her arms looped over rose’s shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“uh huh, yep,” poe says, his eyes very obviously locked onto finn’s curled bicep, bent on the table.  he hadn’t really done anything to hide the fact that they’d been making out; his hair is wild, his mouth red, and he did nothing to hide the budding bruise on his neck.  finn thinks he looks gorgeous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“convincing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“what?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“nevermind.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>even finn laughs at that, despite the fact that it feels like poe’s eyes are peeling layers off of him he didn’t even know he was wearing.  still, poe smiles when he does, like he can’t even help it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>when everything goes back to being loud, poe reaches across the table and strokes his fingertips across the ridges of finn’s knuckles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“kinda wanna kiss you,” he says, voice low and intimate enough not to be heard over the ruckus of the pilot’s table.  finn grins, eyes half lidded, affection thundering under his ribs, like a storm ready to happen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“oh yeah?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“prove it, then.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe grins, leans across the table, and kisses him soundly on the mouth.  there’s a distinct quiet finn can hear, around the rushing in his ears, even though the kiss is chaste and soft and short.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” rey says, and they both laugh and are forced apart.  the pilot’s table goes </span>
  <em>
    <span>wild</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and poe actually ducks his head and turns a little red.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>get it,</span>
  </em>
  <span> dameron!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>thank you,</span>
  </em>
  <span> pava.”  poe’s attention goes back to his plate, but he doesn’t let go of finn’s hand, and for the longest time, the smile won’t leave his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe is merciful for about three days.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>it’s impossible to keep their building romance a secret, not that they try.  it doesn’t take long for almost everyone on base to know, and subsequently tease them about it.  they find it nearly impossible to keep their hands off each other; finn’s fingers in poe’s hair as they study holopads and poe’s on finn’s knee, just resting, during meetings.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>in all fairness they only get caught once kissing in the hallway by zorri, but in return they catch them necking with jess not even two hours later so they keep it on the downlow.  at night, they get to kiss goodnight, and sometimes finn sleeps squashed between poe and rey and wakes up warm and rested and so, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>he hasn’t felt happiness like this for as long as he can remember.  there’s still the sorrow of loss, the anxiety of war, but it’s dulled.  everyone he loves fits under one roof, and they have the time to build whatever they want.  it’s not something he thought he’d ever get to have.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>he gets comfortable with it.  which is why when he walks into the conference room and poe is wearing a collar that cuts all the way down his chest and pants too tight to be legal, he’s pretty sure he actually feels something in his brain break.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>he’s glad no one is there yet, because the noise finn makes is downright </span>
  <em>
    <span>pitiful</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  poe looks up, and almost immediately his mouth curls up at one side into one of the slyest things finn’s ever seen.  he knows.  that bastard </span>
  <em>
    <span>knows</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“hey,” he says.  he’s standing at one end of the table, drumming his fingers on its surface, leaning into it just enough for the gold chain of his necklace to glint in the morning light.  finn lets his eyes skate the thin ridge of collarbone, the hollow of poe’s throat, right where it evens out to the smoothness of his chest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“finn,” poe says, and it’s only then that finn realizes he’s been </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking</span>
  </em>
  <span> to him, which is embarrassing, “my eyes are up here, buddy.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn clears his throat, tears his gaze away and very pointedly looks into poe’s eyes.  “right.  sorry,” he says, as he makes his way to his usual spot by poe’s side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“ain’t complaining.”  poe’s voice is low, and he leans across and kisses finn, long and slow and deep, and leaves him entirely breathless when he pulls away, right as the door hisses open.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>the rest of the meeting is difficult, to say the least.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>it doesn’t help that it’s mostly boring general stuff; requisitions, comms checks, nothing horribly pressing or stressful, and poe holds finn’s hand under the table, which is a point of contact that’s a little more electric than usual.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe has been beautifully composed the whole meeting - attentive, decisive and compassionate - and finn spends half the time pretending he’s not looking at his profile out of the corner of his eye.  he’s seriously wondering if he can get fired from being a general when poe makes an excuse for him, citing that he was up late helping with a new shipment the night before.  finn leans his head on poe’s shoulder, just to sell the story, and poe chuckles and presses his lips to his temple.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you guys are seriously, disgustingly sweet,” rose says cheerily.  finn waves her off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i can’t even be in the same room as you and rey.  it flows both ways,” he says, and she has the decency to blush.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe grins, and it folds up in the corners of his eyes.  it gets a little wry at the end, and he tugs at his collar as if warm.  finn squeezes his hand, feeling the heat in his blood return twice as ferocious.  it’s a little unfair that poe gets to keep his composure, so finn is smooth and slow when he unfolds their fingers, and tucks his under the strap holding poe’s holster to his thigh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe stiffens, but finn commends his ability to keep his eyes forward, even as he watches them haze over.  finn lets his hand follow the leather to poe’s inner thigh, just to watch his throat bob and his eyelashes flutter.  he puts his hand on top of finn’s, and doesn’t move it away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“general dameron?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yes?  sorry, could you repeat that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe is used to focusing under pressure; it’s what makes him such a good pilot, being to keep a level head and sharp eye even in the most precarious of situations, so finn allows himself a great deal of pride that he could get him to stop listening, even for only a second.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>and for the rest of the meeting it’s like that; the occasional swallow, a stuttering breath, and finn feels like he gets some sort of retribution just from the rosy hue settling on poe’s cheekbones. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>what really betrays it is how quickly poe dismisses the committee, the drum of his fingers on his opposite knee.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“general dameron,” finn says, impressed by his voice, how casual it is, “may i speak to you in private?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“of course.”  poe’s voice is a little tight, and finn can’t help the smirk that flashes across his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe only crowds him against the wall and kisses the breath out of him once on the way back to their quarters, hands holding his jacket and mouth insistent on finn’s.  finn squeezes his hips and drinks up the noise he makes, up until jess walks past them and gives poe a slap on the ass, making him jump about three feet in the air.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“get a </span>
  <em>
    <span>room</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you two.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“working on it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>ew</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe snickers, leaning into finn, smoothing his coat out, and finn can’t help but grin hard enough his cheeks hurt with it, warm all the way to his fingertips and loved all the way to his core.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe kisses him twice more in quick succession, and when he peels himself off of finn his eyes are dark and warm.  he reaches out, and finn takes his hand without hesitation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“sorry,” poe says, “you just drive me crazy, you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“that was the plan,” finn says, bringing poe’s hand up to kiss, “well, most of it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe’s throat clicks.  “yeah?  you planning on sharing the rest of it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“maybe.  if you’re good.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe makes a little sound, one that gets stuck halfway up his throat.  “oh, baby, i can be so good for you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>the rest of finn’s plan involves pressing poe up against their recently closed quarters door, smacking the lock mechanism on his way to kissing poe hot and open and dirty.  poe meets him halfway, one hand at the back of finn’s neck and the other digging into his hip, licking into finn’s mouth, pouring desperation and heat into it.  finn found out quick that poe kisses him like it’s the last he’ll ever do it, like he can find an outlet for everything he kept to himself for all that time.  he kisses like he does everything else, like flies and like he leads and like he loves; recklessly, full of heart and with abandon that would make anyone else blush.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>but finn pulls away from that mouth, as much as it pains him to do so, to press a kiss to a subbled jaw, and poe tips his head back against the door with a gentle thump.  finn gets one of his hands between them, skates it up poe’s chest, feeling warm skin under his palm.  he gets it to poe’s jaw, and ever so gently holds his head back so he can get his mouth on that neck, feeling poe’s heartbeat hammer up against his fingertips, feel his throat bob against the heel of his hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” poe says when finn’s other hand comes up to tug his shirt collar wider, exposing collarbone and glinting gold chain.  his hands make their way down finn’s back as finn’s mouth finds silk skin stretched over bone.  they’d teased him for so long and he was going to make a show of it, but at the first instance of teeth poe puts his hands on finn’s ass and </span>
  <em>
    <span>squeezes</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and finn ends up just groaning into his skin instead, giving a half aborted roll of his hips that hitches poe’s breath up in his throat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>they take a breather, then, pressed up against one another, finn’s face in the crook of poe’s neck.  he leans back, cupping poe’s cheek in his hand, until he turns his head to kiss it.  his hair is messed, eyes blown wide a dark and full to the brim with trust, and he has just the barest hint of a red mark on his collarbone, clothes askew.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“by the light, you’re gorgeous,” finn breathes, just to watch poe’s mouth lift into a tiny smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“not half bad yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“flattery </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> get you everywhere, poe.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe laughs, and leans his forehead against finn’s.  “shut up and kiss me again.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i can do that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>so he does, fingertips gentle on the sides of poe’s neck, unable to stop himself from smiling when he feels poe’s heart rate rocket as soon as his lips make contact.  poe huffs and bites finn’s lip in retaliation, barely a pinch but admonishment just the same.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i think,” poe says, after he removes his mouth from where he had been nibbling on finn’s lower lip, “we should continue on the track we were on.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“what, this?”  finn very deliberately grinds their hips together, and poe stutters a gasp, baring the long line of his throat.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”  finn watches poe fight the urge to shut his eyes, but they end up half open and hazy.  finn leans their foreheads together and poe puts one of his hands on the back of finn’s neck, but the other stays firmly on finn’s ass, encouraging, so finn rocks his hips again with a low noise, and poe is right there to meet him, his breath catching in his throat and ending in a weak moan.  finn has come to love that sound, going out of his way to try and wring it out of poe as much as he can, and also discovered poe is happy enough to indulge him.  so finn drops his lips back to poe’s neck, trying to pour love and desire into it so poe can drink it in through his skin, and poe instantly curls his fingers against finn’s skull, every line of his body saying </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes, yes, yes</span>
  </em>
  <span> even if it doesn’t quite come out of his mouth right.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe shifts a little and suddenly one of his thighs is between finn’s, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that’s good.  he’s aware of the whine he makes as his hips jerk of their own accord.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah?  feel good, baby?”  poe’s voice is rough and quiet in finn’s ear, and that just sparks all the way through finn’s nerves, kindling to the growing fire.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>yeah</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”  finn gets a hand on poe’s chest, to feel the thunder of his heart and the heave of his chest, but he needs to brace against the door with the other.  he’s gone a little weak in the knees, but visceral </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> pushes that knowledge from the forefront of finn’s mind.  he can feel poe hard against his thigh, unable to be concealed in those </span>
  <em>
    <span>ridiculous</span>
  </em>
  <span> pants.  he doesn’t seem to care much at the moment, doing everything in his power to get more friction on finn’s cock; the torturous roll of his hips as finn ruts into him.  he’s flushed all the way down his chest, his skin warm against finn’s wandering hand, breath coming hard and jagged, his fingers digging into the curve of finn’s ass, begging, </span>
  <em>
    <span>begging</span>
  </em>
  <span>, so finn puts his mouth under poe’s jaw and works on sucking a mark there, his thumb finding one of poe’s nipples through his shirt just to hear him whimper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>finn</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”  he sounds wrecked, and that alone is enough to make finn’s hips stutter, a ragged noise pulling free from his throat.  heat coils tight in finn’s belly, sparking through him, leaving him in the smoke of pleasure.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“close,” is all he really manages, and immediately poe curls a leg around finn’s hip and drags him closer, letting finn grind hard and dirty into the curve of his thigh, drinking down the choked cry finn makes when he kisses him, no finesse, just tongue and teeth and desperation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“fuck, yeah, baby.  c’mon, come for me,” he says, voice trembling, right into finn’s mouth, and finn tumbles over the edge right then and there, pleasure washing over him like a tropical ocean wave, his mind free of anything but the heat of the body against his and poe’s taste in his mouth.  he’s aware of helplessly rocking his hips until he can’t take it anymore, before he slumps against poe, his breath coming fast.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe’s petting his hair, his other hand leaving finn’s ass to stroke tenderly along the strong lines of his back.  when finn can muster the energy to lean back he does, only to nearly swallow his tongue.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe’s neck is scattered with fading red marks, gentle nips littered across those collarbones, and he’s flushed a pretty red.  his shirt has fallen open far enough for one half of his chest to be exposed, the ring on his necklace bright and shiny against his reddened skin.  his mouth is plump from kissing, his hair curling up at his temples from sweat, and his eyes are black enough to rival even the deepest reaches of space.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“fuck, that was hot,” poe says, his eyes doing a diligent sweep of finn’s body, his tongue darting to lick finn’s taste from his lips.  so finn kisses him.  and finn kisses him until he moans into his mouth, until poe goes lax against him.  only then does he drag a hand down poe’s chest to press the heel of it against poe’s cock through his pants, relishing in the shuddering breath he takes and the fact he has to immediately break the kiss to breathe.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>finn</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he whines.  finn could hear him say his name like that all day, and maybe sometime soon he will.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“this okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“buddy, i am one-hundred percent on board with anything you’ve got in mind,” poe says with a breathless chuckle.  finn gives a little pressure and drags his hand towards the root of poe’s cock and he arches his back, making a helpless little sound.  “</span>
  <em>
    <span>especially</span>
  </em>
  <span> that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn gives poe an airy laugh, working slow to get poe’s fly undone, enjoying the little desperate shake to poe’s hands as he cups his face and kisses and kisses and kisses him, more little pecks and licks to lips than anything more substantial.  finn stops him when he tries to shuck his pants, gently knocking his hands away from where he’s fumbling with the buckles on his holster.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“keep them on?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>sly recognition slips over poe’s face.  “no problem.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn gets poe’s cock out before he licks the palm of his hand, and he’s keenly aware of poe’s eyes tracking the movement, his tongue stuck in the corner of his mouth.  finn wraps his hand around poe’s cock, and that touch alone has poe weak at the knees, moan rattling its way out of his chest.  he winds his one arm around finn’s neck, using it as support and also an excuse to bury his face in finn’s shoulder.  finn can feel him inhale his scent, feel his hot breath in the crook of his neck.  he turns his head and presses a kiss to poe’s temple.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>he’s slow and gentle with his pace because poe already feels like he’s going to fall apart in his arms.  finn twists his grip on an upstroke and poe chokes down a moan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“let me hear you,” finn says, purred into poe’s ear, mostly to hear poe’s keening answer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he says emphatically, and finn swallows down his own arousal at how </span>
  <em>
    <span>gone</span>
  </em>
  <span> he sounds.  poe bucks his hips and finn lets him, and poe takes full advantage of being able to fuck finn’s fist, rocking his hips and muttering something finn doesn’t quite understand, his fluttering eyelashes tickling finn’s neck.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“ain’t gonna last,” he says around his heaving lungs.  finn twists his grip again, and poe muffles a cry against his shoulder.  “finn, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah, </span>
  <em>
    <span>yeah</span>
  </em>
  <span>, c’mon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe’s fingers scrabble against the back of finn’s neck as he comes, breathing his shuddering moan against the hollow of finn’s throat and jerking his hips into the circle of finn’s hand.  eventually he reaches down to bat at finn’s fingers until he carefully removes his hand, and then poe slumps against him so heavily finn has to wrap an arm around his waist to hold him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe just chuckles, his voice still a little roughed out.  “oh yeah.  i’m great.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn laughs, gathers him up until poe can get his legs underneath himself a little bit better.  eventually poe just drags finn into a kiss, cradling his face, soft and sweet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“so,” poe says, drumming his fingers against finn’s chest, “i suppose i should keep the outfit, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you better.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>poe shakes against finn in his laughter, and finn joins him, holding him against his chest.  in that moment, finn is so insurmountably glad that the force chose to bring them together.  he buries his face in poe’s neck and poe just holds him back, just like he needs to be held, and they stay like that for a good, long time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>they both have to change, and shower, exchanging gentle kisses under the spray of the water until the water starts going cold.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>when they come out to the mess hall, the pilot’s table erupts into a chorus of whoops and wolf whistles, including a rather spot on impression of poe moaning finn’s name from jess.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“excuse me, i have to go beat up my friends,” poe says quickly, pecking finn’s cheek with a kiss before making his way over to jess and, despite her best efforts, putting her in a headlock and furiously ruffling her hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>finn takes his regular seat, and rey is grinning at him, wide and cheeky, and he glares at her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“shut up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“did you have a good private meeting, general?”  she says anyways.  rose stuffs her laugh back down her throat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“it sounded </span>
  <em>
    <span>stimulating</span>
  </em>
  <span>, to say the least,” rose says, prompting rey to snort.  finn flicks a pea at her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“i hate both of you.  you’re demoted.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>they both laugh, and he can’t stop himself from joining in.  eventually the pilot’s table quiets down, and poe slips into his usual spot at finn’s side, winding an arm around his waist and nuzzling into his neck for a split second.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“hey poe?”  rey’s voice is quavering on laughter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“you’ve got a little -” she waves at her neck.  poe clears his throat and pulls his collar together, hiding the gentle bruises dotting his collarbone.  finn grins slow, and poe snorts and pushes his face away, prompting another round of laughter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>this is a new feeling to finn, one he couldn’t put a name to for a long while after he left the first order.  they didn’t let him love.  he learned the taste for it here, learned that he was full of it.  sometimes, he looks at his hands and thinks of all the love they missed.  but here, now, while poe weaves their fingers together and leans his head onto his shoulder, he only thinks about building it.  they can do whatever they want now, and finn wants to love.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ilu babe</p>
<p>incalyscent-writes.tumblr.com</p></blockquote></div></div>
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